This invention relates generally to electromechanical apparatuses for reproducing discs, more precisely, reproducing from discs information signals recorded thereon. More particularly, the invention relates to a disc reproducing apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a reproducing apparatus or simply apparatus) into or out of which a disc can be loaded or ejected positively and accurately, and in which erroneous insertion of a disc can be prevented.
A reproducing apparatus into which a compact disc on which an information signal has been recorded is loaded and the signal thus recorded is reproduced from this disc by means of a light (optical) pickup is known. Recently, in order to protect compact discs and to improve their handling, a method wherein each compact disc is placed in a case, and the disc together with the case is loaded into a reproducing apparatus and reproduced has been proposed.
Furthermore, for installation within a disc reproducing apparatus of this character and operating to load the case with disc into a specific position within the apparatus and to eject the same, a loading-ejecting mechanism of the so-called full-autoloading type has been used. More specifically, this mechanism is so constituted that, when a case is inserted to some extent into the apparatus, detection means within the apparatus detects this initial insertion and starts the loading-ejecting mechanism, which thereupon operates fully automatically to grasp, guide, and convey the case into its correct loading position.
Reproducing apparatuses of this known type, however, have not been entirely free of problems. For example, because the case loading-ejecting mechanism is made fully automatic, if an object other than a case is inserted by mistake into the apparatus, the loading-ejecting mechanism will start, and the reproducing apparatus will assume its reproducing state, even though a case has not been actually inserted. Another problem is that, in the event that the insertion of a wrong disc has been noticed by the operator, who thereupon hastily tries to pull out the case, but the insertion of the case is detected by the detection means within the apparatus, and the loading-ejecting mechanism operates and holds the case in an improper position within the apparatus, whereby there arises the possibility of damaging the case or the reproducing mechanism such as the turntable. Furthermore, if the case is not correctly inserted, that is for example, if the case is inserted in an askew state, the loading-ejecting mechanism will operate, and defective operation such as failure of the compact disc to be loaded in its correct position or collision of the case with a part such as the frame of the loading-ejecting mechanism due to the loading action will occur, whereby smooth loading and ejecting cannot be carried out.